Homemade Fresh-Milled Pizza Dough (Same-Day Recipe)
Thick, Golden Crust with Durum & Hard White Wheat
There’s nothing like homemade pizza night - especially when you start with a fresh-milled dough. This recipe uses a mix of durum wheat and hard white wheat for a crust that’s soft, flavorful, and beautifully golden. It bakes up thick and chewy with a crisp edge.
We usually love to cook our pizzas in our Ooni oven, which gives them a beautiful char and extra crispiness in just a few minutes. But since it was rainy this time, we baked the pizzas inside on a preheated baking stone, and they still turned out absolutely delicious — just a little different in texture and color. (That said, we can’t wait to test this dough outdoors soon for a full comparison!)
Why This Flour Blend Works
I used:
Durum wheat flour (fresh-milled from durum berries): adds a rich, buttery flavor and golden color, with a soft, tender crumb
Hard white wheat flour: provides structure, chew, and the strength needed for a thick, satisfying crust
This combo gave us a beautifully workable dough — flavorful, slightly chewy, and golden — perfect for holding all the toppings we love.
How It Turned Out
We gave the dough a 6-hour room-temp rise, then shaped it into two 12-inch pizzas and baked them fresh that evening. The crust came out thick, flavorful, and lightly crisp on the bottom — a great option when you want fresh pizza the same day.
That said, I’m excited to try this recipe again with a longer rise in the fridge overnight. I think it’ll allow the dough to fully hydrate and develop deeper flavor, giving us an even softer, fluffier interior while still holding its shape. Can’t wait to test and share how it turns out!
Recipe: Fresh-Milled Pizza Dough (Same-Day)
Yields: Two 12-inch thick pizzas
Rise Time: 6 hours at room temperature
Oven Temp: 475°F (with pizza stone or steel preheated)
Ingredients:
2½ cups (320g) freshly milled durum wheat flour
1 cup (130g) freshly milled hard white wheat flour
1¾ tsp (5g) salt
¾ tsp (2.5g) instant yeast (or 1 tsp active dry)
1½ cups (360ml) warm water (100–105°F)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey or sugar
Instructions:
Make the Dough
In a mixer, combine flours, salt, and yeast. Add water, oil, and honey. Mix on Speed 1 for about 1 minute, then knead on Speed 2 for 6–7 minutes, until smooth and tacky.
Let It Rise
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature (around 70°F) for 6 hours, until doubled.
Divide & Rest
Split into two balls. Let rest 15–20 minutes before shaping into 12-inch rounds.
Bake
Preheat oven to 475°F with a pizza stone or steel for at least 30 minutes. Add your toppings and bake each pizza for 13–16 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Our Favorite Pizzas to Make
We rotate through a few go-to favorites that we never get tired of — each one brings its own flavor personality to the table, and this dough holds up beautifully to all of them:
Taco Pizza
A fun twist that mixes taco night with pizza night:
Base: pizza sauce
Toppings: taco-seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, tomatoes
Cheeses: mozzarella + cheddar
Finish: sour cream or hot sauce drizzled on top
Chicken Alfredo Pizza
Creamy and savory, without being too heavy:
Base: olive oil + a splash of heavy cream
Toppings: seasoned chicken, mozzarella, spinach
Finish: sprinkle garlic powder or a dash of black pepper
Margherita Pizza
Our go-to when we want something fresh and classic:
Base: pizza sauce
Toppings: mozzarella slices (and sometimes extra dollops), tomato slices or cherry tomatoes
Finish: fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil after baking
Barbecue Chicken Pizza
Sweet, smoky, and satisfying:
Base: olive oil
Toppings: cooked chicken, red onion, mozzarella
Finish: barbecue sauce drizzle after baking
Whether we cook them in our Ooni or bake them indoors, these combos bring so much flavor and fun to pizza night — and they all taste even better on a homemade crust.
What’s Next
While we really loved how this same-day dough turned out, I’m planning to test an overnight version next time. Letting the dough rest in the fridge for 18–24 hours will give the flour time to fully hydrate, and the gluten a chance to develop more deeply — which should lead to a softer, more moist and fluffy interior, and even better rise in the oven.
So, stay tuned — I’ll update with that version soon!
By Leah Ann Grace
